First Car Experience - Essay Example

My fascination with cars started early in my childhood. Of all the toys that I would receive on Christmas Day, the one that I always cherished and enjoyed the most was the remote-controlled cars that my parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles would give me. I could never have enough cars. Even when my parents would take me to the carnivals or video arcades, I would always make a beeline for the go-karts or bump cars and ride until my parents demanded that I change rides already. That is why it did not come as a surprise to them when I announced at the age of 13 that I would begin saving money in order to buy my first car at the age of 16.

I'll never forget that car. It was what was known as a fixer-upper, a car that needed to be restored because the motor barely ran. I chose that model because I wanted to learn all that could about cars and how it was repaired. I had worked summer and after school jobs up until a month before my 16th birthday just so I would be sure to have enough money to buy the car that I wanted without having to ask my parents for any extra money to cover its costs. The month before my birthday, my parents and I made the sacred trek to the local 2nd hand car shop to make my purchase.

I decided to purchase a sleek looking 1989 Mitsubishi Lancer, also known as the Cat's Eyes model. Just like with any 2nd hand car, it drove perfectly off the car lot and all the way home where I proudly parked my purchase next to my parent's cars in our driveway. I was on the phone in no time, asking my friends to come over for a joyride with me. As we piled into the car for my first ever excursion without a parent sitting next to me in the car, my dad could not help but holler out his concern for me going out so soon in the car.

He was insisting on having his mechanic check out the car before I actually used it because he said I had “chosen the car like you were buying a candy bar at the store!”. I hate to admit it but my father's advice actually made sense. Maybe it was because the car was overloaded, or because I forgot to check the oil in the motor before we zipped out of the driveway but the car air conditioning broke down and we stalled about an hour and a half away from home. I had to call my dad who sent the auto club over to give us a tow home.

Needless to say, my dad insisted that the car be towed to his mechanics shop that same day. The verdict from his mechanic was that the car motor was actually in pretty good shape for such an old car. However, the car needed some major parts replacements and, without sugar-coating it, the mechanic immediately produced his estimate list that had my jaw drop from the sheer shock of the final cost for the “restoration” of parts and systems. The car needed everything from a brand new alternator to a set of window tints.

Although I had saved money to purchase the car, I did not have enough set aside for such massive spending on the restoration of the machine itself. That is when my dad's mechanic and I came to an agreement, I could work off the parts that the care needed by helping out at the garage. In the process, he would also teach me all he knew about fixing car models like mine, just in case it came in handy. Who was I to refuse such an offer? And that is how I managed to get my baby, as I addressed my car, all dressed up and spruced up for my use.